THE IRISH PROBLEM

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 16

THE IRISH PROBLEM

THE HOME ULE BILL,

(By Cable.) In the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law stated that the Home Rule Bill would not be introduced before Whitsuntide. The House of Commons -would adjourn on the 16th until the 28th inst. Conscription would not be formally applied to Ireland before the Bill was introduced. OPPOSING CONSCRIPTION. Sir Horace Plunkett (Chairman of tho Convention which has just finished its labours), in a letter to the press, says:— " There is only one alternative to the Cabinet's disastrous policy of conscription and Home Rule—namely, the immediate establishment of responsible government in Ireland. The necessary legislation should be passed as a war measure, and immediately thereafter an Irish executive, broadly representative, should be appointed, with the task of establishing a parliament and promoting voluntary recruiting. The Irish people would then quickly show the world its real attitude towards the war, and it would dawn on Englishmen that pro-Germans are nonexistent in Ireland."

Mr Dillon, M.P., and Mr De Valera addressed an anti-conscription demonstration, at which 15,000 persons were present.

Mr Dillon urged that if the Irish kept united for another two months they would defeat conscription. He was convinced that this question would destroy the Government. There was an impression that the danger had passed; that was totally false. The Government was undoubtedly staggered, but it would be a disastrous mistake to allow the determination of the people to slacken. He suggested the formation of parish committees attached to every church or chapel. If a struggle was forced upon them the Church would be the rallying point. If the central organisation were destroyed instructions would reach the people through national organisations, especially priests, for the Church, in the supreme hour of national danger, had come to the rescue of the people. Ho was convinced that it would take an army which Britain was ill able to spare to enforce conscription. Mr De Valera said his followers would unite with the Nationalists to defeat conscription.

The Dublin correspondent of The Times says the Nationalists intend to absent themselves from the Home Rule debate in the House of Commons, despite Mr Dillon's statements as to the importance of the Nationalists' Parliamentary work. The Dublin Mansion House Committee now controls the party, and Messrs Dillon and Devlin are in a hopeless minority.

OPPOSING HOME RULE.

The Irish Presbyterian Church has carried a resolution against Home Rule, as being ruinous to Ireland and disastrous to the Empire.

Sir E. Carson, in the course of a letter, to the press proposing Unionist reconsideration of Irish policy, ifi view of the recent anti-conscription, manifestations, declares that the Government possesses the clearest evidence that the Sinn Fein organisation is in alliance with Germany. Sir E. Carson asserts that the action of the Nationalists, Sinn Fein, and Roman Catholic Hierarchy has demonstrated the uselessness of Imperial reservations and proper safeguards in any Irish settlement. He asks if the Government intends to enforce conscription, of which he is most doubtful-

The Unionist leaders have called a party meeting to discuss the Government's Irish proposals.

LORD FRENCH'S APPOINTMENT. There are many newspaper comments on the appointment of Lord French as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

The Daily Telegraph considers that it indicates that the Government is determined to pursue a strong, firm Irish policy. The Morning Post says Lord French, as a moderate Home Ruler, probably" stipulated for a definite effort on the part of the Government to pass Home Rule before conscription. The Daily News says the appointment is meant to assure Conservatives that the Government will enforce conscription, and in the meantime the drafting of a Home Rule Bill is proceeding. The Times considers that the appointment is wholly non-political, and that Lord French is entitled to credit for undertaking a peculiarly difficult task from a sense of duty. The Daily Telegraph's Dublin correspondent says that Lord French's appointment as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland seems to indicate that the Government intends to adopt a strong attitude in regard to the seditious propaganda and illegal raiding now so common in the west and south of Ireland. The Sinn Feiners until yesterday looked for the complete success of their policy of Colonial Home Rule as a step to entire independence, but now they are raising a clamour against Lord French's, appointment as likely to limit Sinn-Fein activities. The Irish Moderates believe that intimidation will cease directly Lord French assumes office. The Daily Chronicle's Dublin correspondent says that Freeman's Journal's assertion that Lord French's appointment means a military dictatorship finds little acceptance. Lord French is very popular, and the Government has made every attempt to find a civilian successor to Lord Wimborne.

The Manchester Guardian says the Government intends to go straight ahead with Home Rule and Irish "conscription. The order applying conscription to Ireland will probably be issued after the Home Rule Bill has been read a second time. There is 1 ' no intention of waiting with con-

scription until the Home Rule measure Is enacted.

GENERAL MAHON RESIGNS

General Marion, at a meeting of soldiers and sailors in Dublin, announced his resignation of the Irish command. The Daily Chronicle attributes the resignation to the situation arising from the policy of conscription, adding that his removal renders the Irish storm cloud appreciably blacker. The Nationalist press assumes that General Mahon's retirement was due to his unwillingness to enforce conscription. The Daily News says it is understood that General Shaw has succeeded General Mahon, who has not resigned, but has relinquished his command owing to the military changes in Ireland. AN AMERICAN VIEW. The New York Times, in an editorial, says: " Ireland is running over with prosperity while England is living on close rations. We have heard too much of the wrongs of Ireland. For a generation England has sought to confer benefits on Ireland and to redress old injuries. Is England blamable for the Irishmen's quarrel? The abstention of so many Irish from the war seems to be unintelligible and monstrous." HOME RULE ALL ROUND. The Scottish Nationalist is asking the Government to frame an Irish Bill, with a view »> to the immediate extension of a similar measure to Scotland, and a complete federal scheme for the United Kingdom. GENERAL. The Press Bureau says that all civilian passengers between Great Britain and Ireland must possess permits. A manifesto of the joint executives of the Trades Union Congress and the Labour Party appeals to the Government to refrain from applying conscription to Ireland at least until the Irish Parliament is fully in existence. There is a shortage of silver in manytowns in the south-west of Ireland, this being due to the Sinn Fein leaders, who put about a rumour that the Government intended to repudiate pound notes and ten-shilling" notes. The poorer classes immediately "invaded the shops and tendered notes for purchases often worth only a few pence. The panic continues, and business is greatly hampered.